After being warned by his employer that rough seas were expected and the weather would be dangerous, William Lapenta, 58, decided to go out swimming anyway. Emergency services were called when he was no longer visible from the beach, but by the time they got there, it was far too late.
Lapenta was a high-ranking member of the National Weather Services but clearly couldn’t heed his own advice when it came to terrible storms. Despite resuscitation attempts, he had passed at the scene.
The National Weather Services had issued a warning for the area in and around the town of Duck, North Carolina, warning residents and potential beachgoers that they should avoid the water.
According to the warning, there were rip currents and swells between 4 and 7 feet. Even the most weathered (pun intended) and accomplished swimmer would struggle and rip currents are not something to take lightly.
While exact details on Lapenta’s death are not known at this time, officials believe that it was the rip current in the area and the intense surf that was the cause.
Lapenta had worked for the National Weather Services for over 10 years, and his current role with the government agency had him overseeing nine key offices that monitored weather changes.
Before his time there, he spent 20 years working at NASA. Lapenta was the Deputy Manager of the Science and Exploration Research Office, and he was responsible for all research and development related to space science, space optics, and earth science.
Basically, Lapenta was very smart and very accomplished.
Lapenta isn’t the first to fall victim to rip currents recently. Last weekend, a New Yorker on vacation at Cape Hatteras also passed due to intense weather.
A 75-year-old was swimming in the ocean and got caught in a rip current. Unable to escape, he fell unconscious.
His companion and two others pulled him from the water, but they were unable to revive him. While the exact cause of death is also “unknown” in this case, it is clear that the ocean has been particularly volatile lately.
The Director of the National Weather Services went on Twitter this week to expresse his sadness at Lapenta’s passing, saying the man was a brilliant scientist and would be missed by the whole team.
